


Candy Cane For A Number

by raven_bird



Series: Christmas Challenge 2015 [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Christmas, Fluff, M/M, Santa's Elves, Young Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-04
Updated: 2015-12-04
Packaged: 2018-05-04 20:35:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5347682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raven_bird/pseuds/raven_bird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel has seen a lot of people in his job. Specifically, a lot of kids. Kids who cry the instant that they are settled on Santa’s lap (loud, piercing wails that seem to follow him home and ring in the back of his mind even as he tries to go to sleep). Kids who practically tackle the Santa on duty with their excitement. Kids who are obviously too old to believe in Santa, but who humour their parents anyways. Kids who spend way too long listing all the things on their Christmas list: kids who name a single item.</p><p>Until today, Castiel had never met a child who seemed more interested in the elf than Santa himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Candy Cane For A Number

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this Christmas Prompt Challange](http://alloftheprompts.tumblr.com/post/134349883493/25-days-christmas-romance-challenge)
> 
> Prompt: Character A works as a Santa’s helper. Character B has a small sibling/child.
> 
> NOTE: Sam is much younger in this fic (around 6 years old). Dean and Cas are both in their late teens.

Working as Santa’s helper isn’t a bad job. Castiel’s duties are simple: hand out candy canes to the children once they finish talking with Santa, and do his best to put a stop to any issues that might arise in line.

 

Castiel has seen a lot of people in his job. Specifically, a lot of kids. Kids who cry the instant that they are settled on Santa’s lap (loud, piercing wails that seem to follow him home and ring in the back of his mind even as he tries to go to sleep). Kids who practically tackle the Santa on duty with their excitement. Kids who are obviously too old to believe in Santa, but who humour their parents anyways. Kids who spend way too long listing all the things on their Christmas list: kids who name a single item.

 

Until today, Castiel had never met a child who seemed more interested in the elf than Santa himself.

 

He is a young boy, with dark hair just beginning to curl around his ears. Cas can feel the boy’s eyes on him, and he turns away from the studying eyes, fighting the urge to look in the mirror. Is his elf costume dirty? Did he forget to put on the hat?

 

He pats his head, discreetly. Nope. Hat is securely in place.

 

The line moves forward as a little girl in a white dress hops forward and her parents take out their cameras. The dark-haired boy also moved forward, until he is standing right next to Castiel.

 

“Excuse me,” he says, in a small but very clear voice, “Are you an elf?”

 

Cas smiles. This, he can deal with. Crouching down, he answers, “I am. And you are?”

 

“Sam Winchester.” Sam turns, and tugs on the hem of an older boy’s shirt. “This is my brother, Dean.”

 

Dean turns around, looking down at his brother in confusion for a second. Then his eyes catch on Castiel, and he stops. “Hi.”

 

For the second time in just a couple of minutes, Castiel resists the urge to go check his appearance in a mirror. Dean is… well, incredibly attractive. And just Cas’s type. He suddenly wishes that he was anywhere but here. Or, at least, wearing anything but an awful green _elf costume_.

 

“Hey.” he answers. Dean cracks a grin, his green eyes lighting up with the expression.

 

Sam speaks up again. “Are all elves as tall as you are? They look smaller in the cartoons.”

 

Directing his attention back to the young boy, Castiel says, “When I’m in the North Pole, I’m much smaller. Smaller than you, even. Santa just makes me tall when we visit you guys, so that I can fit in better.”

 

Sam looked at him, his expression as solemn as possible. “Dean’s still taller than you.”

 

“Is he?” Cas straightens up. “Well. That’s too bad. I guess I’ll just have to get Santa to make me a couple inches taller next time.”

 

Sam giggles.

 

“Nah. I think he’s short enough to be an elf anyways.” Dean swings his brother into the air, and holds him tightly in the air. “See? Even you can be taller than him.”

 

Cas crosses his arms in mock annoyance. “Well. That’s unfortunate. Maybe I’ll just get Santa to make me a giant instead.”

 

“Hmmm.” Dean turns to Sam. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t think that a giant would suit him very well.”

 

Sam squints at Cas, and then shakes his head quickly.

 

Cas sighs. “I guess I’m stuck with being an elf, then.”

 

“That’s alright,” says Dean, letting Sam back to the ground and reaching out to tap at Cas’s elf hat. “It suits you.”

 

Before he gets a chance to respond, Castiel is called back to Santa’s chair. He gives the little girl, who had just vacated Santa’s lap, a candy cane, and she beams at him. The next family in line has a younger child, only about a year old, and Cas helps settle the baby into a comfortable position on Santa’s lap for the photographer. Before he knows it, he is too caught up in the excitement surrounding him to get another chance to talk to Sam and Dean Winchester.

 

It isn’t until they reach the front of the line that he sees them again. Sam needs no help in making his way up to Santa, so Cas hangs back with Dean.

 

“Candy cane?” he offers, pulling one out of the pocket of his costume.

 

Dean looks at it. “Well, I can’t take it without giving you something.”

 

Castiel tilts his head. “And what would you give me?”

 

“How about my number?”

 

Cas looks up for a moment, catching sight of Dean’s eyes, open and honest. His heart stutters, and he pulls his phone out of his pocket and hands it over. Dean quickly taps in his number and passes it back. Cas smiles at him quickly, offering the candy cane in return, and Dean accepts it with a wink.

 

Sam is finished with Santa by this time, and the photographer nods at Castiel. He helps Sam Winchester down from the chair, and watches as he runs to meet his older brother, already chattering on about something. The two of them turn to leave, Sam bouncing excitedly at Dean’s side.

 

Before he turns back to his job, Cas takes the time to type out a quick text on his phone.

  
_Enjoy the candy cane. Merry Christmas. xx_

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment or kudos if you enjoyed!
> 
> You can find me on tumblr at [lavenderjehan](http://lavenderjehan.tumblr.com)


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